Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-01-06
American PolIteness.

American PolIteness.
The passenger in the crowded street
railway car is oftendiaturbed by the
conscious ABSORPTION of his masculine
neighbors in their newspapers when a
woman enters and looks for aseat. If
she be young and pretty, there are APP
parantly seats enough, however great
the crowd, and even if a man is slow
to rise, he may yet, with Mr.. Ready
wit, exhort his son sitting upon his
knee to get up and give the lady his
seat. The impatient passenger, in his
indignation at the want OF courtesy
upon the part of others, sometimes
forgets, indeed, to rise himself. But
there is always some Nathan comfort
ably seated farther away whose
amused look says to the impatient
but stationary David. 'Thou art the
man."
1t would be very unfair to generalize
from this frequent situation that the
American is uneourteous. On the
contrary, he is the most truly polite
man among men OF allnations. Lady
Mavourneen, who is familiar with the
society and the manners of many
countries, and who has been always
accustomed to hear Americans in Eu-
rope described everywhere and with
pungent emphasis as "those Ameri-
cans" were amazed upon coming here
to find universal courtesy. ain the
street or at the railway station" she
said, "If ask anybody any question,
receive the most prompt and polite
reply. Everybody is at my service,
not with much bowling or flourishing,
but heartily and honestly. l have
never seen such universal courtesy"
When she was asked whether she
had observed the ABSORPTION
of the street car passengers in their
newspapers, she smiled and said that
she had never been obliged to stand,
because some one was sure to rise.
But in Paris she said that often as she
was passing to a seat Monsieur Cra-
peaud, raising his hat politely, and
saying warmly, Pardonl pressed by
and secured the seat.
Lady Mavourneen, who tells little
story with great humor, described a
scene in crowded church in Paris.
An apparent lady was disturbing ev-
erybody by pushing along toward a
distant chair in the row. when Lady
Mavourneen arose to allow her to
pass more easily, and the apparent
lady Immediately slipped into my
lady's chair, and held it fast, saying
only, Madame, you left the chair; |
took it. You have lost it. Voilap A
vagabond of this kind took the seat
OF gentleman who had risen to help
lady off street car. When the
gentlemen returned he mentioned to
the interloper that it was his seat
when he took it, and that he should
continue to occupy it. ''If you don't
get out of that seat I'll takeyou out, -
was the reioinder; and the squatter
scowled and abdieated.
Lady Mavourneen found, what
every lady will find, that she could
travel everywhere in "the States"
alone, with entire safety and sur
rounded by the utmost courtesy.
The word "iady" with which she will
be accosted by haekmen and porters
and conductors is spoken with
kindly respect, and even if some per-
son in lady's garb thrnsts herself in.
| to the cue of passengers slowly adj
vancing to the window of the ticket
office to buy tickets, there may be
sour looks and amazed stares, but
she will generally have her way. SO
great is our courtesy that we honor
the counterfeit claim. The source OF
| the most serious objection TO the de-
| mand OF suffrage for women is the se-
cret apprehension that men wiz lose
their sincere Difference, and treat
women as they treat other men, thus
robbing life OF the tender romance OF
chivalric courtesy. Emerson says OF
the successful lover and his mistress,
"She was heaven, while he pursued
her as n star; can she be heaven if she
| stoops to such one as he2"
Yet, whilethi feeling is frequent, and
seems to many very plausible, it is the
true respect of the American for wom-
en- which is the real strength of this
| very movement. The European sen
| timent for women is still somewhat
medieval. She is still the goddess OF
| the troubadours and the minnesingers,
but goddess who is treated as the
South-sea Islanders treat their gods,
I beating them when they are not pro-
\ pitious. TO the American she is Words
! worth's phantom OF Delight" seen
| upon nearer view, and it is idle to
prettle about her ''sphere," as if she
did not instinctively know it more
truly than men. The universal court
esy which Lady Mavourneenr remarked
is essential respect and kindness Cf
| feeling, which no more permits man
| to gid his selfishness with a Pardon"
| and touching OF his hat than it per-
mits him TO strike n woman.
Yet although courtesy is essentially
IN the heart, and is kind feeling rather
than respectful manner, it is not
worth while to despise the manner. II
we must choose between the good
heart and suavity OF address, besween
Boythorne and Lovelace, OF course We
shall choose Boythorne. But why
not both2 Why rot the mems sana in
corpore sano?
The young American of to-day puffs
his cigarette in the face of his partner
on the balcony, in the boat, or in the
wagon, and smiles at the frllled 10th
| ario of yesterday bowling in his
lowered coat and paying state
ly compliments as stiff as
her brocade TO the dame whom he ad-
dresses. The youth is right in saying
that the lowered coat and the state
| ly compliment were the dress and the
speech of an old sinner. But he would
be right also if he remembered that IA
miliarity breeds contempt, and that
he may wisely distrust his feeling for
any woman who does not put him up
on his good behavoir. The courtesy
which Lady Mavoureen observed in
the railway station and in the street
was plain, but is was genuine. Respect
naturally produces courtesy. Good
manners are the cultivation of natur-
al courtesy; the gilt and the grace OF
the gift-George William Curtis, in
Harper's Magazine.
The JOY of Receiving a Letter,
ChicaJo .JournaI-.I have often